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I am going to attempt my first fun trip in a couple of weeks. I am going to Vegas. I have not been here since before I got sick with IC. I am a little nervous about how I will eat especially since I am totally depending on restaurant foods. I will not have a fridge or cooking facilities. Does anyone have suggestions for restauartants and also what to eat. It is so hard to find foods that are safe. I am always so amazed to find out what is in foods when you ask. The other day we went to a steak house for our anniversary. It took half an hour to go through ingredient lists to find a suitable dinner. In the end because I could not have the sauces I asked if they could bring me a little melted garlic butter and thank goodness the Manager told me tht there was soy in the butter. So needless to say I did not have that. I always learn that there is yet another question to ask. Never take things for granted. I would have never thought to ask if it was ral butter and just would have assumed so. I have already looked up Wholefoods there but don't have a fridge so won't be able to store anything for long. I have decided that in the future I will pay the extra and get a suite so I can cook but do need some help for this time.
Travel
Kriste;Don't forget about ice chests. You could use one of those to keep veggie snacks in. All hotels have ice machines, so you can replenish the ice when it melts. Some hotels will also furnish you with a small fridge and a microwave - sometimes at an extra cost (maybe $10) and sometimes they are free. I have found when eating out the safest thing in potatoes is a baked one. I start out by telling the waitress that I have food allergies. That usually gets their attention, but you still have to be careful. I stress that I want REAL butter on the side. Also I ask for fish or whatever to be broiled only in plain real butter or water (I stress no margarine). Sometimes steaks have meat tenderizer on them, so look out for that. You can also order broccoli or whatever veggie they offer plain. Be sure to ask if the salad bar has preservatives. AND if it doesn't look or taste right to you when they bring the food, don't eat it. I've had to call the waitress back many a time. I think you will make out fine. Have fun.
Koolatron D24 Soft Bag Cooler
Koolatron D24 Soft Bag Cooler 26 Quarts is what I use when i used to travel. It is great because it plugs into your car and any outlet. It is like a totebag so its great to carry on the plane or around town. I bought mine at sams club for 50. It sounds like a lot but i have it forever where ever I want to go and I LOVE it. My Last trip to vagas was in the strip I don't know where you are going but there were all fast food places and buffets. I didn't really see anything healthy. It sounds like you have your work cut out for you. I am sorry I don't have any great sugestions I am supprised you don't have a microwave and fridge I normally can get that just at the holliday inn with out paying extra for it. I bring a little touperwear with me so I can make some eggs in my microwave. I know it's not the healthiest but it's not a regular thing so who cares. I scrable the egg and stick it in the microwave but I do not fully cook it I stir and keep putting it back in so it doesn't taste like rubber by the time I get it out. You can dump that on a rice cake or even pack some bake potatoes. Whole foods has the boiled eggs in the fridge section as well.
How long do you go for? Some veggies will keep out for a while. I dont know what list your on. I think we should make a list of IC friendly places to eat around the world submit them to Matia and have her put it on the site for all to find. Also put what list your on next to the place you ate at.
The only place I know of is the elephant bar in AZ and CA but I did sligtly alter the menu.
I ordered the veggie bowl minus some of the veggies minus the sauce . THey have real butter there and I added dry grilled shripm, chicken or steak. Sometimes I could get avacado on it . I also asked for a side of fresh chopped basil. IT was very nice.
travel
I travel a lot for my work. I am on list 3 now. When you are in a hurry and cannot go to the whole foods, one very practical thing I find helpful is the side salad that Wendys has (to take care of veggies in the meal). Not sure what are your permissable foods but it has lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and some shredded carrots. You could take 2 or 3 of those (with no dressing of course). Combine that with just the pattie from the burger they have and try to get a baked potato from some place (with no cheese or other things). You could also keep some oilve oil potato chips which could serve as your carbs when you cannot find the potato. See the link for potato chips below. http://www.goodhealthnaturalproducts.com/naturalsnackproducts.html#picOh, one more thing, the fries that these fast food places have are usually made from vegetable oil, which is best to avoid in early stages.
fast food meat
Eek! Its mostly soy!! I would avoid that. When my mom and I went to LA, we got a rotisserie chicken from whole foods--that lasted a day and was fine without refrigeration. plus rice cakes and almond butter for carbs OR you can make spelt tortillas and fry them ahead of time for the first few days. Also--bag of salad can be made out of whole foods fixings, but that kinda requires a daily trip to whole foods.
my other advise to you is to
my other advise to you is to search now about the restaurants look online a lot of them put menus online then you will know what there is. I will put in organic restaurants in the search.